NHS vaccine bus to deliver more walk-in Covid jabs in Seaham, Peterlee and Horden - here's who is eligible

The mobile clinics, which are run by health staff from Easington District, Sedgefield North and North Easington Primary Care Networks, will deliver first Covid vaccinations only to people living or working in County Durham.

Those able to be vaccinated on the bus, which has a capacity to provide around 250 jabs a day, will not need to book an appointment.

Who is eligible?

Those able to receive their jab will include people who are within the current eligible age cohorts, carers, health & social care frontline staff and people over the age of 16 years who are clinically vulnerable, or have a learning disability, who have not yet had their first jab.

No appointment is needed and an on-board team of immunisers and support staff, from NHS County Durham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Durham County Council’s Public Health Team, will be on hand to answer questions or address any issues of vaccine hesitancy.

Where will the bus stop?

Aldi Car Park, Horden, Peterlee SR8 5BA, on June 9, from 12pm to 7pm

Kelloe Working Men’s Club Car Park, 4 Front Street, Kelloe, DH6 4PD, on June 11, from 12pm to 7pm

Ferryhill Market Place, DL17 8JW, on June 15, from 12pm to 7pm

Asda Car Park, Byron Place, South Terrace, Seaham, SR7 7HN, on June 21, from 12pm to 7pm

More than 563,490 Covid-19 vaccinations have already been administered in County Durham, from sites across the county, including 13 local GP led vaccination clinics, three community pharmacies and the Arnison Centre, large vaccination hub.

Kate Huddart, head of medicines optimisation, NHS County Durham CCG, said: “We were extremely pleased by the success of our last vaccine bus visit to Peterlee where over 225 people came on board to have their jab.

“This is now a great opportunity for us to take the bus into other areas across the county, where uptake of the covid vaccine may need to be encouraged, to enable as many people as possible to get their first vaccination as quickly and as conveniently as possible.”

The MELISSA bus (Mobile Educational Learning, Improving Simulation and Safety Activities), which will be used as the mobile clinic to administer the vaccinations, has been provided by Health Education England, North East.

The fully refurbished double decker bus is used to deliver education and training to staff and the public in rural or hard to reach communities across the region.

Amanda Healy, Durham County Council’s director of public health, said: “It is fantastic to see that the first use of the vaccination bus in County Durham had such a successful outcome, with hundreds of people getting their jab.

“Moving the bus to other areas of the county will help support the success of the vaccination programme by making it more accessible for people to receive their jab in areas where the uptake is lower. By encouraging residents to receive their Covid-19 jab, we can help to protect as many people as possible from the virus.”

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